Fire-escape



,- ing when the chute is in place for use.

NITEDT STATES PATENT- Clarice.

GEORGE M. mm), or BosToN,:1vrAssAcHUsETTs.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,345, dated February 19, 1884.

. Application filed November 23,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may. concern.- Be it known that I, GEORGE M; BIRD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Stateof Massasetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a fire-escape of that class in which a chute of canvas or other suit able material is employed as the means of escape.

The object of my invention is, primarily, to provide means whereby the chute maybe released and dropped to the proper inclined position by aperson inside the building, and Without assistance from a person outside.

The invention consists in the mechanism for effecting said object and'for further perfecting the apparatus,-hereinafter set-forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the chute, and shows the position, with reference to the building, of the chute and other parts of the apparatus outside of the build- Fig. 2 is a'front view of the same parts when the chute has dropped only so far as to rest on the supports 0 0. .Figs. 1 and 2 are v drawn on a much smaller scale than the other figures. ism located at the window or upper part of the building for dropping and raising the chute. Fig. 4 is a side view of the parts shown'in Fig. 8. Fig. 5 isaplanof the same,

- the'pulley' P and brake-shoe being removed.

Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 show details.

The inlet or upper end of the chute A is suitably fastened to the window-frame or upper part of the building. The chute is made long enough to reach the ground when properly inclined, as shown. To the lower end of the chute is fastened a frame, B,'preferably of iron and substantially of the form shown, whereby the side which comes next to the ground is straight. To this frame, at each side thereof, is fastened a ring-bolt, a, or its equivalent, having a straight side forming a wrist-pin. Near the ground and to the building are pivoted, at b 6, two supports, 0 O, which may Fig. 3 is a front view of the mechan= be connected to form one frame by a crossbar, 0. Each of these supports has a V-hook, D, at the'upper end. a To one limb of each of the V-hooks is pivoted a catch, d, which is so formed as to allow one side or wrist-pin of a ring-bolt, a,to drop into the V-hook and to hold it therein. To each of the other limbs e of l the V-hooks is fastened one end of a rope, E.

Each of these ropes extends loosely through rings f, fastened on one side of the chute, and is connected at the other end to a ropewheel, F. I I

To the frame B or to the lower end of the chute isfastened one end of a rope, G, which extends loosely through rings 9 on the upper side of the chute, and is connected at the upper end to a rope-wheel, H. The rope-wheels F F and H are all on one shaft, I, which has suitable bearings on the frame J. .The ropewheels F are fixed to said shaft, while the rope-wheel H runs loosely on said shaft. On the shaft I is fixeda gear, K, which engages with a gear, L, fixed ona shaft, M. This shaft has also suitable bearings on the frame J. On this shaft is a brake-wheel, N,'whic'h runs loosely on the shaft. Fixed to the side of the brake-wheel is a ratchet-wheel, h.

Pivoted on the side of the gearl'a is a pawl, i, to engage with the ratchet-wheel h.

On each side of the frame J is a trunniomj, between the shafts I and M, and adjustable on the frame. Each'trunnionj is fixed to a plate, It, which',.by'means of slots therein and bolts or screws Z, may be adjusted on the frame J.

These trunnions havebearings m on pieces 0,

which are fixed to the window-frame or build ing.

Above the rope wheel H is a pulley, P, which is on a shaft having bearings n, attached to a piece, Q, which is a part of or fixed to the window-frame'or building. Fixed also to the window-frame or building is a brake-shoe, R,

which acts on the brake-wheel.

Pivoted on the frame J, at 0, is a stop-piece, p, which a pin, g, on the wheel F meets. A rope,"S, has one end fastened at a suitable place on the chute, and has at the other end a loopjor ring, r, whichimay hook onto'the outer endof'the stop-piece p.

The chute may be drawn up, so as to fold up and be in readiness for use at the upper part B, an elastic cushion, T.

of the window-frame or building, by means of the rope G and rope-wheel H, the latter having handles 8, whereby the wheel may be revolved and the rope wound thereon. The rope G passes around the pulley P, so that the chute may be carried up out of the way. By means of the crank 11. the wheels F are revolved and the ropes E wound thereon, so that the supports C are brought to nearly an upright position. During this operation the gears K and L are revolved, but in such direction that the pawl *5 slides freely over the ratchet-wheel without moving the same and the brake-wheel N. The upright position of the supports is indicated by dotted lines at C in Fig. 1.

"When to be used as an escape, the chute is allowed to fall, the rope G unwinding freely from the wheel H. The ringbolts a are guided by the ropes E to the V-hooks. \Vhen these bolts enter these hooks, the stop-piece is released from the pin g by means of the chute and rope S, and hence the wheels F may revolve, and the chute with the supports 0 fall to the ground. These supports, swinging about the pivots b, will carry the lower end of the chute to the right distance from the building to give the proper inclination for the chute. During this motion of the wheels F the shafts and gears are revolved, and in such direction that the pawl i will engage with the ratchet-wheel and cause the brake-wheel N to revolve. The frame J' being pivoted by means of the trunnions j, the brake-wheel will be pressed against the brake-shoe R, ac cording to the weight of the chute and the position to which the trunnions have been previously adjusted on the frame J. Thus the chute and supports G will not be suffered to fall too rapidly and strike the ground with too great force. To further prevent injury to the chute by concussion with the ground, I attach to the bottom of the chute, or to the under side of the straight part of the frame The supports 0 may be sufiiciently inclined when they are swung up, so that they will readily fall when they are released. A spring, I, may be placed so as to press each support 0 outward from the building, and thus cause the support to begin to fall immediately on its being released.

The framed, pivoted by means of the trunnions, as specified, forms a lever by which the weight of the chute and supports 0 C causes the brake-wheel to bear against the brakeshoe, and with that degree of pressure which is determined by the position of the trunnions with reference to said frame-that is, with reference to the rope-wheels and the brakewheel-the trunnions orbearin gs therefor serving as a fulcrum.

It will be seen that this mechanism may be employed for lowering other loads than the 1. In combination with a chute, A, pivoted supports 0 O, and means for dropping said chute to said supports, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of chute A, having ringbolts to a, pivoted supports 0 0, having V- hooks D D, and ropes E E, connecting said supports with rope -whcels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of chute A, pivoted supports 0 C, ropes E E and G, and ropewheels F F and H, substantially as specified.

4. In a fire-escape, the combination of ropewheels F F, shafts I M, gears K L, ratchetwheel H, pawl t, brake-wheel N, and brake shoe E, substantially as specified.

5. In a fire-escape, the combination of a frame, J, pivoted and bearing shaftsI M, as specified, rope-wheels F F, gears K L, brakewheel N, brake-shoe R, ratchet-wheel, and pawl, substantially as set forth.

6. In a fire-escape, a frame, J', bearing the hoisting or dropping mechanism, pivoted by means of trunnions j j to the building, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination of the chute A, ropewheels F F, rope S, stop-piece p, and pin q, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a fireescape, a frame, B, at the lower end of the chute, having ring-bolts a a, providing wrist-pins, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a fire-escape, a chute having a frame, B, provided with a straight side and an elastic cushion, T, substantially as specified.

10. The combination of chute A, ring-bolts a a, supports 0 0, having V-hooks D D, and

catches (Z d, substantially as specified.

11. The combination of chute A, supports 0 O, ropes E E, rope-wheels F F, gears K L, pivoted frame J, ratchet-wheel h, pawl i, brake-wheel N, and brake-shoe R, substantially as described.

12. In a fire-escape, the combination of a chute, A, rope G, rope-wheel H, pulley I, and suitable bearings for said rope-wheel and pulley I, to maintain them in the relation to each other specified, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. A frame pivoted by means of trunnions and bearings therefor which serve as a fulcrum bearing'two shafts-one on each side of said trunnionssaid shafts geared together, one of said shafts having one or moreropewheels thereon, and the other shaft provided with a brake-wheel, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE M. BIRD.

\Vitnesses:

W'ILLIAM H. SOLOMON, Enw. DUMMER. 

